Kiyokawa: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

The menu at Kiyokawa doesn't explain why you might seek out this small, unassuming sushi bar tucked among the nail salons and boutiques of Robertson in Beverly Hills: There are the requisite sushi rolls, standard nigiri options, and some lunch specials. It's the chalkboard beside the sushi bar that should provide a hint as to why we're so enamored of this place. There, the special fish of the day is displayed: striped jack, ocean trout, Japanese mackerel. The live shrimp will arrive at your table still alive, the meat removed, the head still moving as it pokes out of the ice. Later, when you're done with your sashimi, sushi chef/owner Satoshi Kiyokawa might fry that head for you, or make a soup out of it. The omakase is the way to go for dinner — at lunch, ask for a sashimi plate made up of the best fish of the day, give them a price, and make sure you get a serving of rice on the side. The wasabi comes freshly grated on shark skin; the ginger is pickled in-house. The Japanese mackerel glistens, its perfect balance of freshness and oil making it hard to move on, the lingering taste worth savoring. 265 S. Robertson Ave., Beverly Hills; (310) 358-1900. Mon.-Fri., noon-3 p.m.; Mon.-Sat., 6-10 p.m. Omakase, around $88. Beer, wine and sake.